Potentially inappropriate medications in geriatric population: a clinical update for oral medicine and orofacial pain practitioners

The American Geriatric Society has periodically published guidelines, known as the Beers Criteria, for identifying potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) for the geriatric population. In addition, the Screening Tool of Older Person's Potentially Inappropriate Medications is another list that was developed on the basis of hospital admissions resulting from adverse drug events in geriatric adults. This review paper provides a summary of these PIMs that are commonly prescribed to the geriatric population by dental practitioners, with a focus on medications prescribed by oral medicine and orofacial pain specialists. Five classes of medications have been identified and discussed in this review, namely, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Alternative medications in lieu of PIMs for geriatric adults have also been provided, along with the required dosage modifications.